Water temperature regulator and pressure-control valve



Feb. 23 1926. 1,574,075

J. c. FISCHER WATER TEMPERATURE REGULATOR AND PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE Filed August 27 1923 2 SheetS-Shee. l

W! ab. y @wf/Q Maas/wy Feb. 23 1926. 1,514,075'

. J. C. FISCHER WATER TEMPERATURE REGULATOR AND PRESSURE CONTROL VALVE FledvAugusi:y 27', 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @www . Juseph' E- Flanken- @www Patented Feb. 23, y1926.

Vnarran sra'i'as JOSEPH. C. FISCHER, OF MILWAUKEE, W'ISCONSIN.

WATER TEMPERATURE REGULATOR AND PRESSURE-CONTROL VALVE.

Application filed. August 27, 1923,

`and useful Improvements in `Water T emperature Regulators and Pressure-Control Valves, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying,l drawings, which are a part of this speci- 'lication.l This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in steam and plumbing fixtures and refers more particularly to a fixture especially adapted for use in connection ivit'h hot Water systems. i

In sanitariums, hospitals and other places, .it is often Vdesirous to give patients long baths of su istantially constant temperature, and much dii'eulty has been experienced in that no means has been devised for preventing the temperature of the water eX- Ceedine' a desired maximum, to thus safe-- guard the patient against scalding.

liflieulty has also been experienced in that the temperature of the Water at times reaches such a degree as to burn out the faucet packings and oftentimes generate steam backing upthrough the line to the city meter destroying' the discs, and into the flush valves of toilets, resulting' inY severe damage.

Having' the above and other objections in mind, itis a primary object of my invention to provide means forsafeguarding against excessive pressure .in the hot Water line and the Water exceeding a predetermined teinperature to thus prevent injury to the faucet packings and the backing up of the Water to the city meter and into the cold Water line.

lt is another object of this invention to provide a shunt from the hot wat-er line back to the boiler or tank-through which water circulates. and actuates a release upon an increase in temperature of the water beyond a. predetermined degree.

This invention has for another object to provide means operable upon an increase in temperature of the Water beyond a' predetermined d-egree'rto connecty the hot Water line with the server or other source of discharge to prevent injury in the line'. j

rllhe law'in most cities requireseach boiler or'tanl having a capacity of 500 gallons or over to be equipped with a safety or pressure release valve adaptedto ,operate upon the pressure croi-,celine a predetermined Cle- Si rial No. 859,618.

grec, and it is another object of this invention to provide a. temperature regulator which also provides a pressure release or safety valve.

It is a further object o'f this invention to provide an improved device of the character described wherein the employment of a valve gland for the valve actuating rod is eliminated, thus reducing' friction to a minimum and increasing the sensitiveness of the device.

A more specific object of this invention resides in the provision of a double diapliragm 'for actuating' the release valve.

And a still further object of this invention resides in the provision of a device of the character described, the use of which may be greatly varied and which will perform its function in a highly satisfactory manner.

vWith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement ot parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly deiined by the appended claim-s, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein `disclosed invention may be made as come Within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, l have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according' to the best mode l have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a view, partly in elevation and partly in vertical longitudinal. section. illustrating the interior construction of my improved device;

Figure 2 is a diagrannnatic view illustrating' the manner of connecting my improved device in a hot *atei* system of that type employing,` a steam heated drum or tank; and

Figure 3 is a diagrannnatic view' illustrating the manner of connect-iupr my iluproved device in a hot water system of that type employed in the average home.

lleferrina' noiv more particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals designate like parts throughout the sevcralrvieivs, the numeral 5 designates a castinghaving an inlet G and two-outlets T and 8, the inlet 6 and outlet 7 being' connected at'. all tunes" through the man1 chamber 0r passage '9 olf the casting. The outlet tl leads trom a chamber 10, which normally closed ott from the passage 9 by a valve l1 yield- :ibly held in engagement With av seat 12 surrounding a port connecting chamber 10 with passage 9 by means to be later described.

Disposed above valve 11, and in axial alignment therewith, is a diaphragm chamber 13 in vwhich a relatively small diaphragm 14 and a relatively large diaphragm 15 are mounted. One end ot a valve stem 1G is secured to the diaphragms by lock-nuts, or other means, 17, and the other end ot the stein is threaded in valve li, as at 18. Diaphragm 14 is ot any sui-table design or construction and is mounted by a retaining ring 19 and attaching screws Qt) which conline the periphery ot the diaphragm between the ring 19 and an inwardly projecting flange 21. ri`he larger diaphragm 15 has its periphery confined between a laterally projecting'ilange 22 on the casting and a removable head 23 removably secured to flange Q9 by bolts 24.

The surface area oi' the diaphragms is preferably considerably greater than that ot valve 11, and in the drawings the proportions are approximately six to one, although this ratio may be varied according to the conditions in the system in which my iinproved device is incorporated. V'the use oi a compound diaphragm eliminates the necessity ot providing a valve gland tor the rod 1G, thus reducing friction to a minimum and providing an instrument et' increased sensitiveness.

rllhc bottom ot chamber 1() is closed by a removable cap or cover 25 provided with ay central valve gland or stutiing box through which passes a rod 27, having its inner end threaded in the valve 11, as at 28, and its lower end provided With a cap or disc 29 bc` tiveen which, and a cap 8O mounted in a spring housing 31, is con'lincd-a spring The housing 31 is removably secured to cap and inthe present embodiment its upper end 33 is internally threaded and engaged with a threaded bess 34 formed on cap The disc 30 is provided with a centralr boss or enlargement 35 for centering the spring thereon and providing a recess 36 in its nnderface tor receiving a screnv 37tin-ended through the end 88 ot the housing, The tension et the spring 32, and consequently the pressure required in chamber 13 er against valve 1l to open the same, hereinafter di-.- scribethfis readily adjusted by the screw37, which is relcasably locked by a nut- 39.-

' b j, `pass or. opening 49 leads trom 'the chamber or lpassage 9, adjacent inlctft, and is connected `withChamber 1 3 by te lle tub'- ing or piping`41, bypass 40 being normally closed byv a valve .member '42 carried 'by a therinolstatic vvmember 43; stattdessen niiet..

lli-metallic strip carrying the valve at one end -and having its other end secured to the casting by a removable screw 44.

In Figure 2 is vdiagramniiatically illustrated a hot Water system of the type ein ployed in institutions requiring a `large velnme of heated Water in which designates a wat-er tank 'or drum adapted to be heated by a steam coil 46 connected with a source of supply, vnot shown. The tank 45 has the usual cold Water intake 47 and the hot Water outlet 48 which leads to the faucetslti. a return line l5() being provided trom the tarthermost point in the system in order to insure an instant supply oi hot Water at the farthest `faucet when the same is opened. My 'improved fitting in this type ot'installation is connected or 4shunted across the lines t8 and 50, -tlre inlet 6 being connected with the line 48, the outlet 7 with the line 50 and the outlet 8 with a sewer or any suitable place otdiscliarge by a pipe 51.

ln Figure 3 V1s diagrammatically illustrated an installation such .as isv employed in' tank being heated by a coil 55 mounted` Within the lire box ot' a furnace or other place 56 and having one end connected with the top and the other with the bottom ot' the tank. In this type ot system 'my device has its inletV 6 connectedivith the lineV 54 by a pipe 57 ,its outlet 7 connected with the tank by a pipe 58, and the outlet 8 connected with a. sen/'er or any other point of discharge, not shown, by the pipe 51.

Y As the operation ot my device is substantially the same irrespective "of the type ot installation ivith which it is employed, its operation in connection with that form ot installation illustrated in Figure 2 only Will be described. i

The tension of the lspring 32' is set by the screw 37 and the thermostatic member is set to actuate under the desired conditions. Assuming the normal maximum temperature ot the Water desired to be 180 degrees Fahrenheit., theV setting ot' the thermostatic meniber'is such that when this temperature is exceeded to any set degree. as 'tor instance by ten degrees, valve Will be disengaged. from the bypass 40 and .the Water permitted Yto liow from chamber 9 to chamber 13 exerting a pressure on the double diaphragm and' opening valve 11 against its spring 32. The system is then partially drained through outlet Sinto the sewer or anyY other place until the temperature of the .fate-r again reaches normal, aaien the thermostatic member 43 closes valve 42 ifierrni'tting spring S2, to return valve 11 to its closed position. A ble'edfB is provided fin the head '23 coming wat are earl-Heem @hasta la y predetermined degree, valve 1l is opened as, pressure being accompanied by a raise in temperature, the device operates as above described, permitting the pressure to be released, whereby the device functions both as ,a pressure relief or safety valve and a temperature regulator.

' From the foregoing description `taken in connection with the accompanying' drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which an invention of this character appertains that l provide an improved device which is capable of use ivith any type of installation to function as a water temperature regulator` and a pressure relief' or safety valve, and one which may be readily applied to installations nov.7 in use 'or to installations at the time of their construction, and a device Which may be manufactured at a relatively loiv figure andorre which after once installed will not necessitateV attention. y

lVhat I claim as my invention: '1. A device of the character described, a member having an inlet, a main outlet and an auxiliary discharge outlet, valve means normallyclosing said auxiliary discharge outlet, said inlet and main outlet communieating whereby fluid may flow from the in let to the main outlet, means in said member and sensitive to temperature changes, and means operable upon the temperature of' the fluid flowing through said member exceeding a predetermined degree to open said valve means and permit the fluid to flow through said auxiliary outlet.

2. AV device of lthe character described,

Y comprising amember having an inlet, a

main outlet and an auxiliary dischargeoutlet, valve means normally closing` said aufn iliary discharge outlet, said inlet and main outlet communicating' whereby fluid may floiv from the inlet to the main out-let Withoutinterruption, means mounted in said member and sensitive to ten'ipera'ture changes, means operable upon the temperature of' the fluid flowing through said meniber exceeding a predetermined degree lo open said valve and to permit said fluid to escape through said auxiliary out-let, and means operable upon "the temperature of the fluid lloiving through said member receding to a predetermined degree to close `said valve means and disconnect the auxiliary outlet from said member.

A device of the character described,

comprising a member having a passage therein provided with an inlet and an'outlet, an .auxiliary outlet connectable with the passage, valve means normally closing sai-l auxiliary outlet, a diaphragm chamber, a diaphragm mounted therein, means operai tively conecting the diaphragm with said auxiliary outlet valve means, a connection leading from said diaphragm chamber to the passage, a valve member normally closing said connection, means operable upon the temperature of the fluid flowing through said passage exceeding a predetermined dcgi'ee to move the valve member to open position and permit fluid to enter the diaphragm chamber and actuate the diaphragm mounted therein to open said auxiliary ontlet Ivalve member.

4. A device of the character described, comprising a member having a passage therein provided with an inlet and an outlet, an auxiliary outlet connectable with said passage, valve means normally closing said auxiliary outlet from the passage, a diafihragm chamber, a diaphragm mounted therein, means operatively connecting said diaphragm ivitb. said auxiliary outlet valve means, a connection leading from said diaphragm chamber-to said passage, a valve member normally closing said connection, means operable upon the temperature of' the fluid flowing through said passage exceeding a predetermined degree to open said valve member and permit fluid to enter the diaphragm chamber and actuate the diaphragm mounted therein to open said uur? iliary outlet valve means, said valve member being moved to closed position upon the temperature of the fluid Within the chamber receding to a predetermined degree, and means for returning said auxiliary outlet valve means to closed position upon the closing of said first mentioned valve membei'.

5. A device of the character described, comprising a member having a passage therein, an inlet and an outlet communicating with said passage, an auxiliary outlet connectable With said passage, a valve member norinally closing said auxiliary outlet from said passage, a therinostatic member influenced by the temperature of the fluid in said passage, said thermostatic member heilig actuated upon the temperature ot the fluid exceeding a predetermined degree, and nie-ans operable upon the actuation of said thermostatic member to move said valve member to open position and permit fluid to fioiv from the passage through said auxil` iary outlet.

(i. A device olf the character describcril, coniprising a member having a passage therein, an inlet and an outlet communieating with said passage, an auxiliary outlet coiinectable with said passage, a 7alve member normally closing 'said auxiliar).Y outlet from said passage, a thermostatic member influenced by the temperature of the fluid in said passage, said thermostatic member being lactuated upon the temperature of the -fluid exceeding a predetermined degree, means operable upon the actuation of said thermostatic member to move said valve member to open position andpermit fluid to flow lfrom the passage through said auxiliary outlet, said thermostatic member returning to normal position upon the temperatureotl the fluid in the passage recedto a predetermined degree, and spring means for returning said valve member to closed position upon said thermostfatic member resuming its normal position.

LA -device of the character comprising a member havinga passage therein, an-inlet and an outlet communicating with saidpassage, an auxiliary outlet connectable With said passage, a valve member normally closing said auxiliary outlet from said passage, a thermostatic member influenced by the temperature ot' the fluid in said passage, said thermostatic member being actuated upon the temperature of the fluid exceeding a predetern'iinet degree, means operable upon theactuation ot said thermostatic member to move said valve member to open position and permit fluid to tloiv from the passage through said auxiliary outlet, said thermostatic member returning to normal position upon the temperature ol the fluid receding to a predetermined degree, spring means for returning said valve member to closed position upon said thermostatic member resuming its normal position, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring means.

8. A device of the character described, comprising a member having a passage therein. an inlet and an outlet connected With said passage, said passage having axially aligned openings in opposite Walls thereof, an auxiliary chamber communicating with one ot said openings, an auxiliary outlet leading therefrom, a valve member normally closing said opening leading to the auxiliary chamber, spring means Vnormally urOinO said valve member to closed )osi-v tion, a diaphragm chamber disposed above said other opening, a diaphragm mounted in said chamber, n'ieans operatively connecting said diaphragm with said valve member, a bypass leading from said diaphragm chamber to said passage, means normally closing described,

said bypass, and means operable upon the temperature oi' the fluid in the passage exceeding a predetermined degree lto open said bypass whereby -iuid flows from the passage to the diaphragm chamber and exerts a pressure on said diaphragm to open said valve member against its spring means.

V9. A device of the character described, comprising a member having a passage therein, an inlet and outlet connected with saidpassage, said passage having axially aligned openings in opposite Walls thereof, an auxiliary chamber communicating with one ot said openings, an auxiliary outlet leading` therefrom, a valve member normally closingv said opening leading to the auxiliary chamber, spring means normally urging said valve member to-elosed position, a diaphragm chamber disposed above said other opening a diaphragm mounted iny said chamber-,means operatively connecting sait diaphragm With said valve member, a bypass leading fromsaid diaphragm chamber to the passage, means `normally closing said bypass, means operable upon the temperature ot the. fluid in lthe passage exceeding, a predetermined degree to open said bypass whereby fluid lloivs from the Vpassage to the diaphragm kchamber and exerts a pressure on said diaphragm to open said valve member against its spring Vmeans, and' means operable to regulateY the tension oit said springl means.

10. A device of the character described, a member having a passage extended therethrough, an inlet and outlet connected With said passage and through which fluid llovvs, a diaphragm chamber communicating'with said passage, a valve member controlling a port communicating with said passage, a stem carried by said valve member and projecting into said diaphragm chamber, a compound diaphragm mounted in said chamber, means connecting said valve stem With said compound diaphragm, and means operable upon the temperature of fluid in said passage exceeding a predetermined degree to connect said diaphragm chamber with a source of poiver whereby-the compound diaphragm moves thevalve member to open position.

ln testimony u'hereot I aliix my signature. A y Y JOSEPH C. FISCHER. 

